WATERBORO — This community has employed a planner in the past but over the last couple of years has contracted with an agency for planning duties.

On Tuesday, selectmen said they’re happy with the work being done by Lee Jay Feldman and Chuck Morgan of the  Southern Maine Planning and Development Commission, but they’re thinking of making a change.

Selectmen are now contemplating hiring a planner, who would work either 32 hours — the same number of hours the Town Hall is open — or a full 40 hours a week.

It is a decision that will require some thought — and funding must be okayed through Waterboro’s new system of budget approval. The Annual Town Meeting, where such decisions for many years were voted by a show of hands by people attending, is a thing of the past. For the first time, voters in June will decide the municipal budget by referendum at the polls.

Town Administrator Gary Lamb said the town pays SMPDC $50,000 annually to provide planning services. He pegged the costs associated with a direct town hire at about $80,000 including benefits.

Selectmen’s Board Chairman Dennis Abbott said selectmen and the Planning Board should hold a joint meeting, with a couple of representatives from each entity and the town administrator, to talk about the issue and work out expectations.

“The first step is a get together to ask ‘what do we want to do,’” said Abbott. “What do we want the position to look like. We need to air that out.”

He pointed out that the last time the town employed a planner, each board had different expectations. 

Lamb said he’d be fine with a 32 hour a week position, and has begun to casually gather resumes.

Planning Board Chairman Dwayne Prescott said he’s bringing the suggestion of a get together to the board.

Work on the municipal budget has begun in advance of the June referendum vote. If a decision is made to hire a town planner within the next the next budget cycle, funding for that will need to upcoming budget.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or [email protected].